A major coordinated global law enforcement sweep targeting transnational West African organized cyber-crime rings has concluded with 58 arrests and the identification of more than 260 suspects across 22 nations spanning six continents, global policing body Interpol has announced.
Led by Interpol, Operation Jackal IV — the latest in a series of anti-crime operations launched in 2022 targeting these networks — focused on dismantling criminal infrastructure behind pervasive romance scams, fraudulent investment schemes, and a range of other cyber-enabled financial frauds. The operation ran from November 2025 through June 2026, investigators probing not only how frauds including cryptocurrency scams and business email compromise attacks were carried out, but also how criminal groups laundered their illegal proceeds across international borders.
Authorities specifically targeted networks linked to the notorious Nigerian criminal syndicate Black Axe, a transnational organization Interpol says is responsible for a large portion of global cyber-enabled financial fraud. Beyond traditional financial scams, the investigation uncovered alarming emerging criminal trends: syndicates are increasingly using sextortion tactics to target vulnerable minors, with victims as young as 14 years old. Most of the financial scams commonly target retirees residing in English-speaking countries, per Interpol findings.
Operation Jackal IV underscores the critical impact of cross-border law enforcement collaboration to counter transnational organized crime, agency officials emphasized. “By following illicit financial flows across borders, we are attacking the very lifeblood of organised crime and making it increasingly difficult for criminal networks to profit from their activities,” explained Tomonobu Kaya, director of Interpol’s Financial Crime Centre, in an official statement. “Operation Jackal IV demonstrates the power of international co-operation.”
Over the course of the operation, Interpol facilitated cross-border coordination, shared real-time intelligence between participating nations, and delivered specialized training and investigative support for anti-money laundering probes. While many components of the investigation remain ongoing, early results show major law enforcement actions across Argentina, Italy, Romania, and South Africa.
South Africa recorded some of the most significant outcomes of the sweep. Local law enforcement carried out raids on seven facilities tied to a romance and investment scam syndicate in Johannesburg, with Interpol investigators on-site to support local authorities. The action resulted in 39 arrests, the seizure of $2.67 million in illegal assets, and the freezing of 257 compromised bank accounts.
Beyond cyber-enabled fraud, Interpol confirmed that the West African criminal networks targeted in the operation are also involved in a range of other violent and high-level criminal activity. Black Axe, the most prominent syndicate targeted, operates global trafficking, prostitution, and even targeted killing operations, with its primary recruitment base in Nigeria. The group often inducts new members during their time in university, with many of its operatives holding advanced degrees, law enforcement officials have documented.
This operation marks the fourth iteration of Interpol’s Jackal series of anti-crime campaigns. The previous operation, Jackal III carried out in 2024, resulted in the arrests of more than 300 people tied to Black Axe and its affiliated criminal networks across the globe.